Empire of the Sith
by storylinecontinuum
Summary: The Sith have dominated the Galaxy for millennia, but when their successor's rule is compromised an unlikely alliance is forged. Now Jedi Anakin Skywalker has to work with Darth Venerus while also helping crumble the Empire's foundations. Somewhere along the way, the two find their beliefs swayed and the line between light and dark starts to blur. (featuring sith!Obi-Wan)
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Empire of the Sith

 **Summary:** The Sith have dominated the Galaxy for millennia, their power concentrated in the hands of the Emperor, supreme leader of the order. This balance is disrupted however, when his successor's rule is compromised and for the first time in history an unlikely alliance is forged.

Now Jedi Anakin Skywalker has to work with Lord Darth Venerus while also helping crumble the Empire's foundations. Somewhere in the middle of the chaos, the two find their beliefs swayed and the line between light and dark blurs, putting the galaxy on a collision course to catastrophe.

 **Rating:** T (for now)

 **Note:** okay guys, so this is a multichapter Obi-Wan centric AU which features him as a sith and I plan for it to be quite a long ride. The plot of it is pretty clear but I might retouch some stuff depending on your feedback (such as obi and ani's relationship ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ) There'll be many characters appearing but the main focus will be on Obi-Wan and Anakin and especially Obi-Wan since his character is particularly interesting in this sort of AU.

Also, this story will be posted on Ao3 as soon as I figure out the importing and editing system there…

Happy reading!

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Darth Venerus strolled the halls swiftly, silent as a shadow and just as reminiscent of one in his all-black attire. His boots made no sound as they contacted with the polished floor of the temple and he would have made a sinister figure if it weren't for the air of carelessness that surrounded him.

To his right, beyond ceiling high windows, stretched the vast skyscape of Coruscant. The domain of his master was bustling with traffic even in the late hours of the evening.

Venerus made a turn and the display disappeared from sight. The path he now followed was all too familiar and it took him deeper into the darker recesses of the temple.

Here, the walls were lined with doors leading to the personal chambers of the temple's inhabitants. Some of these were loitering around in small groups. They bowed to him as he passed, but he could see their lips curl in distaste as they did so. He didn't slow down to honor them with a greeting, knowing that each of those men would be more than happy to rip his throat out, would that not be the last thing they ever did.

At one point he felt a very particular gaze train on him and the consequent waves of hatred almost made him smirk. He entertained the idea of adopting a slouch just to annoy the source further, but discarded it quickly in favor of more pressing thoughts.

Like the question of why his master had summoned him.

It wasn't that a summons was a rare occurrence; it was just that this one arrived at a rather unordinary time.

He'd already received his instructions for training and there weren't any reports he hadn't submitted yet, so it struck him as odd that his master would want to see him.

Sidious wasn't exactly a sociable man or a very caring master for that matter.

Venerus occupied himself with these thoughts as the dim corridors transitioned into broad halls and the number of people traversing them became scarcer.

Dark robes gave way to red uniforms, which indicated that he was getting closer to the Emperor's office.

The Imperial Guard, unlike his Sith colleagues, paid him no mind and he allowed himself to release some of his tension into the Force, knowing that there was no one around to sniff it out.

Closer though he was, it still took him a good 15 minutes to reach the place. The Emperor's chambers were secluded in the very heart of the temple, several floors away from the crowded living quarters and training halls above.

Only two guards kept watch here and they didn't so much as flinch when Venerus strode past them and through the imposing set of doors, which had silently swung open for him.

Sidious was expecting him inside, back turned and hood in place. Not a single sliver of skin was showing.

The windows also provided no reflection of his face as he had positioned himself directly before them.

Venerus shifted, wanting to get this over with.

He was tempted to glance back the way he came but resisted the childish instinct. Besides, all he would see was a wall of black wood. The tall double doors seemed to be especially designed to fend off prying eyes. Not that anyone ventured this far without meaning to see Lord Sidious.

And apparently this gave him an excuse to take his sweet time.

Finally though, after what felt like an eternity, Sidious moved from his position.

He was soon sitting in his grand chair-slash-throne, giving Venerus a silent once-over.

"I see that you are well, my apprentice." He rasped and inclined his head lazily – the closest to a greeting he was ready to give. His hands were brought together in front of him, touching only at the tips of his fingers.

"I am, my lord." Venerus bowed and fixed his eyes to his master's.

He was searching them for a hint about the nature of their meeting. He failed to glean anything from that gaze, however, so he indulged his nerves by asking outright.

"May I know why I was summoned, my lord?"

The question was met by more silence and another one of Sidious's unnerving stares. Luckily Venerus was long used to them. He waited patiently for his master's reply, ignoring the distraction that the room's opulent decorations offered.

He had lost count of how many times he'd come here and the eccentricity of the place failed to impress him anymore. The décor was very different from what one was used to seeing around the temple. It reminded more of something an aristocrat or a high-standing politician would prefer, although Sidious _was_ in fact the supreme ruler of the Galactic Empire.

The only reason his office was in the temple was perhaps the security this provided.

A few more seconds and Venerus felt the yellow eyes slide off him before he was finally rewarded with a response.

"I've called you here to inform you that you are soon to leave on a mission. This means that you can postpone your training and start preparing for departure."

Sidious was brief and let nothing slip past his flat tone. As usual, Venerus had to wring information out of him.

"When will this mission begin?" He asked, hands clasped behind his back formally. He was glad he hadn't been invited to sit as that would have indicated a longer stay.

"In two to three days. I will contact you for further instructions. You may leave now." The dismissal was clear and it promptly cut off any chance at asking for more details. Had he been in a position to argue, Venerus would have done just that. But instead he bowed again and removed himself in a flurry of black fabric.

The sound of the doors shutting behind him was more than welcome.

The summons had certainly been odd, even for Sidious.

He wasn't normally this jumpy around his master (in fact he was sometimes borderline rude in his casualness towards him), but visiting the man's office always put him on edge.

It was just the aura that prevailed there– stale and malicious, as if seeped into the very air there, that made the place so uncomfortable.

Sidious alone could not account for such malice. It had been meticulously nourished over the years by the numerous Sith Lords that had governed before him.

No, Venerus was not afraid of his master. He was just wary of his room.

And why would he be when he was the only one in the temple privileged enough not to be. He was Sidious's apprentice – his _only_ apprentice, chosen by the man himself. And he was to succeed his master after his death, which also made him the next Emperor and supreme Sith Lord.

It was these facts that made his peers (and elders) in the temple bristle with jealousy at the mere sight of him. All of them were itching to murder him in his sleep, but they never would because they would have to face the wrath of his master afterwards.

Indeed, the disciple of the Emperor was irreplaceable as a rule. Once he was selected, he was trained in techniques privy only to the supreme lord himself – a legacy, passed from master to apprentice, never to leave this circle. It was a Sith tradition that had been carried out for centuries and curiously enough stood in the core of the whole system's stability.

And stability was not something the Sith had prided themselves with before they had taken control of the galaxy. Back then betrayal and murder had been normal among their ranks and was even regarded with approval. It was the way one climbed to the top, yet also the reason why nobody stayed there.

Once the first Sith Lord – Darth Bane, claimed the post of Emperor however, it became clear that a more sturdy system was required.

They needed numbers to maintain control over their massive Empire and a stable centralized form of government – in the Sith's case this could only be a dictatorship.

So while Bane still held enough power over the order, he ordered the Sith masters to limit the knowledge they passed on to their disciples, claiming that it would allow for more control over them. The masters had all agreed readily. They had thought that their lives were secured as long as they kept their secrets. Little did they know that one man was enough to hold the key to ultimate power.

Once a capable enough generation was trained, Bane had ordered all masters to be slaughtered and ironically many of them perished under the hands of their own apprentices. What little of them survived was dealt with by the Red Guard.

As a result Bane was the only Sith left, who had knowledge of the most ancient and dangerous Sith techniques. With it he obtained what seemed all but impossible - the fear and respect of the whole order.

Before, it had been the Sith's thirst for power that drove them to kill each other. Now that same lust prevented them from wiping out their only access to it. Their Emperor's supposed powers rose to the scale of legend and inspired humility and desire in every Sith.

His own life guaranteed, Darth Bane set to ensure the future of the Sith's galactic rule by creating the Law of inheritance.

A law that stated that an Emperor is to have only one apprentice, whom he is to train in the secret ways of the Sith until that apprentice is ready to succeed him. And he would be ready only after learning the Last Secret – the one that the master revealed when he willingly decided to step down from the throne or felt death approaching. (Needless to say it was always the latter.)

To ensure that the secret was passed down, the Emperor would confirm this in front of witnesses. This meant a sure death sentence for him, as a Sith master with nothing more to teach was but a hindrance.

Which is why most Sith Lords held on to that knowledge till they practically had one foot in the grave.

It was also common for them not to engage in battles in order to prevent death by accident in which case the secret would be lost forever.

The same could not be said for the disciple, however, as he took up the role of the most active figure in the Empire. This was not only because of his training, but also in view of the order's morale – members were not allowed to make attempts on the successor's life, but they could still hope to replace him if he were to die on the battlefield.

As for the punishment for an assassination attempt, it was carried out by the Emperor himself and was, as befitted the Sith, a capital one.

Even though this system had functioned without a glitch for millennia, Venerus could not help but find the flaws in it. It was a miracle the secret had not been lost yet, considering how jealously the masters clung to it. And who could guarantee that it hadn't been lost already or even existed in the first place?

Those were very dangerous thoughts for a Sith and Venerus had always kept them to himself.

He marveled how such terrifying warriors could be reduced to naive children by dangling a few far-fetched ideas in front of their noses. Venerus had never felt as drawn to power as was appropriate for a Sith. Although he was one of the most competent among his peers, he was also the most unorthodox. The control he had over himself paired with his calm attitude had earned him many adversaries in the temple. They called him a fraud and a failure, but it had never succeeded in bothering him.

In all honesty, he had never felt any particular attachment to the order. He still didn't fully agree with some of their ways, even though he'd managed to convince his instructors otherwise. The truth was that Venerus just needed a place to belong and being force sensitive, the order had been his best bet.

Later it would come as shock to all, when he would be chosen as Sidious's apprentice. Admittedly, back in his youth he'd been more of a proper Sith – arrogant and aggressive, but still poised enough to be condemned as an odd one out.

He remembered that day as if it were yesterday.

There had been a saber tournament – an annual event that many young Sith saw as an opportunity to show off their skills to the Emperor and perhaps even be selected as his apprentice. Venerus had had no such ambitions, but he had still participated just to annoy them. And it had worked, simply because he'd been good enough to defeat all his opponents until somehow he'd made it to the final round.

In it he'd faced one of his 'biggest fans' in the temple – Darth Maul. Maul had hated him from the moment they met and with good reason. If Venerus was the temple's outsider, Maul was an exemplary Sith. Funny enough, the two had ended up being rivals with almost evenly matched skills.

It's useless to ask who everyone rooted for – Maul had built quite an alliance, all united by their mutual hate for Venerus. It was the closest the Sith could come to a friendship and Venerus wasn't really upset for not having that. Their enmity amused him and he had a lot of fun riling their little club up, which often, if not always, ended with a fierce match against Maul.

Just like the one in the tournament.

Only this time, Maul had double the motivation to beat Venerus.

Unfortunately for him, Venerus always seemed to be a few steps ahead of and however small, this lead gave him the upper hand in this fight as well.

Nevertheless, Maul was a worthy opponent. They clashed tirelessly for what felt like hours, in which time Maul's frustration grew with each parried blow. His anger, contrary to Sith belief or perhaps because he had not learned to cultivate it, had quickly turned to Venerus's advantage so that by the end of the match the latter was simply playing with him much to the audience's dismay.

Venerus on the other hand was having the time of his life. He was so focused on humiliating Maul that he'd forgotten about the whole point of the event.

Their duel became progressively dynamic with Maul being egged on by Venerus's teasing smirks. The two were completely immersed in the fight and were about to enter its final stage.

That is, until a powerful force hold halted their movements mid air.

The hall suddenly went silent and all eyes turned in the same direction.

The Emperor had risen from his seat and was descending the steps from his lounge to the arena where Maul and Venerus stood dumbstruck. One with mortification and the other with foreboding.

For a frightful moment Venerus thought he would be executed, because pissing off his peers and teachers was one thing, but displaying this almost Jedi-like fighting to the Emperor… now that had been a mistake.

The two adolescents kneeled in front of their Lord, not daring to chance a look at him. The silence in the hall had turned stifling.

Finally, Sidious halted his steps and Venerus found himself inches away from the Emperor's black robe.

"What is your name boy?" The cold voice carried clear through the stillness and sent chills down many spines.

"Darth Venerus, my Lord." Venerus found the courage to answer.

"I see." Sidious grinned although the boy could not see it. "Then I bid you to raise your head, young Venerus, for you are from now on to be my apprentice."

A wave of disbelief traveled through the audience and Venerus snapped his head up so rapidly that he got a crick from it. The whispers around them grew into a buzz, but to Venerus it was all swallowed up by confusion. His eyes found Maul who had turned a sickly shade of pale vermillion, his black tattoos standing out horribly. Venerus almost felt bad for him.

He didn't have the chance, though, as he was suddenly prompted to stand by two Red Guards and had to take his place at the Emperor's side.

The rest of his initiation rituals had gone by in a blur and before he knew it his apprenticeship had begun.

It had been surprisingly easy to fall into this new routine. The hate of his peers had doubled, of course (Maul's eyes on him felt almost scorching afterwards), and Venerus would have enjoyed it more thoroughly if he hadn't been so busy with his training and an onslaught of missions.

Some nagging part of him insisted that there was something wrong with all this, but in the end, he guessed, all that mattered to the Sith was power and not how one obtained it.

In the ten years that passed, little had changed for Darth Venerus. He was still Sidious's apprentice and he was just as reluctant to succeed him as before. For now, though, he was satisfied with where he was.

Walking the same way he had come, Venerus caught a glimpse of his long-standing rival and shot him a flippant smile. Maul snarled in response.

One turn later and Venerus found himself faced with the neon-flecked panorama of Coruscant again.

Only this time there was an image of his own face, reflected in the transparisteel windows. It was more handsome now and adorned with a neatly-trimmed beard.

He was slightly pale and not as heavily built as his strength suggested, but that was only natural for his dark-dwelling kind.

What caught his attention though were his eyes – a clear, watery blue. They'd always been that color and he hadn't expected to see anything different now. However, he had thought that they'd turn yellow at least once at some point during his training. Alas, that had yet to happen.

Shrugging nonchalantly, Darth Venerus ran a gloved hand through his auburn hair and made his way down the hallways towards his personal quarters.

* * *

 **Reviews are love 3**


	2. Chapter 2

**And here we are with Chapter 2! A great big thanks and many hugs to all of you who followed, favorite and reviewed this story! Love you all!**

 **By the way, I did some minor editing to ch 1 because it sounded a bit draggy with all the long sentences (I really need to learn to vary my sentence length lol). If you want you can go check it out but don't worry as there are no changes to the plot whatsoever.**

 **If you can give me any advice on my writing style, I'd be happy to hear from you in the reviews section.**

 **See you at the end notes!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

The call came two days from the summons, early in the morning. As promised Sidious contacted Venerus to instruct him on his mission, but the information Venerus received was far from anything he had expected.

He was to leave at midnight for the planet of Naboo, where a rebel fraction had taken control of the capital supposedly with the aid of the Jedi.

Naboo's governor, who had barely managed to escape the rebels, had reported about a master and a padawan and if he was right, the recovery of the planet was no more than a two-Sith job.

It was as simple as eliminating the two Jedi and the rebels would surrender on their own. Venerus had seen it happen countless times before.

So thus far, the mission was textbook.

Except that the Sith who would be accompanying Venerus was none other than his own master.

Venerus had done a double take as Sidious informed him of this himself. A thousand thoughts had swirled in his mind, each more puzzling than the previous.

It was simply unheard of. The Emperor never attended such missions, however small the risk on his life was. Why Sidious would decide to do it now was beyond Venerus. At that moment he wished he knew his master better, but their relationship had always been on the cold side, even from a Sith's point of view.

The first motive he suspected was the Jedi presence on Naboo. It did strike as unusual how quiet the Jedi had been lately, as their little order always seemed to pop up everywhere in the galaxy no matter how much their numbers dwindled.

They were a thorn in the Empire's side for their scattered existence proved difficult to eradicate. If not a real threat, then they were a stubborn itch, which once scratched found a new place to resurface. Perhaps this was why Sidious wanted to see to it himself that these two Jedi were eliminated.

It sounded plausible yet not plausible enough. Jedi appearances were a nuisance but not so much as to warrant a personal visit from the Emperor, which led Venerus to consider some more treacherous possibilities.

Like the possibility of his master being ready to pass down the throne.

This mission could be the final trial, a prelude to Venerus's crowning.

The thought alone filled him with dread.

Venerus was no more eager to rule the Empire than he'd been before. For him this meant to be locked away in a gaudy office, where he would await death far away from any battlefield, clutching on to a secret that bound him to his life. Not to mention he was expected to mingle with politics _and_ command the Sith order, the entirety of which hated him with a passion.

Looking back, these prospects had been the only drawback to his otherwise carefree yet exciting life as the Sith Lord's apprentice.

And now he was faced with the very real possibility of that life coming to an end.

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Sidious was quite old, even when one ignored the effect the dark side had on his appearance and he also seemed to be brooding a lot lately – something that Venerus had noticed, despite their meetings being so rare and in-between. Perhaps it was the thoughts of his retirement that troubled him so much.

Venerus knew that he was expected to kill his master once he obtained the secret and as little sympathy as he had for Sidious, he was still rather reluctant to do it. Perhaps he may let him live - tell the order that his body had fallen into a trench or something. For once, his master might even appreciate it.

Whatever Sidious had in mind, though, it made Venrus restless. Scenarios popped up in his head and were discarded, each new one growing more improbable than the last as they slowly wore him out. Eventually even his over-analytical nature gave way to weariness and he abandoned these thoughts in favor of going through his gear for the mission. They still buzzed at the back of his mind, but it was a low bearable hum.

Turning his lightsaber over in his hand, he even thought the mission could be fun.

After all, he hadn't dueled with a Jedi in a long time…

* * *

"Master Qui-Gon!"

The crowd of servants dispersed hastily to let the young man through and shot him a good-natured look of disapproval as he darted past them.

Everyone in the palace regarded him in such way, knowing that despite his childish attitude, the boy had shown admirable valiancy and skill in the battle just a few hours prior. So they all smiled when they saw him rush down the corridors at breakneck speed.

Qui-Gon Jinn, however, didn't seem as lenient as he turned to face his apprentice, both arms anchored on his waist.

"What took you so long padawan? I've been searching the whole palace for you."

The short-haired youth almost stumbled as he came to an abrupt stop in front of his master. His cheeks were slightly pink and they dimpled from his sheepish grin.

"Sorry, master. I was actually helping Padme with… errr organization and stuff. I only just heard you were looking for me."

Qui-Gon shook his head.

"Anakin, I know you like your new friend, but we don't have time to be relaxing. The governor has most likely informed the Empire of our presence by now and their troops are probably on their way here as we speak."

Anakin didn't seem fazed by this as he answered with his usual flippancy.

"Don't worry master, we'll take care of them, no problem."

At this, Qui-Gon quirked a brow.

"Even if they are Sith lords?"

Anakin shrugged to indicate that sure, they could deal with the Sith lords.

"And how can you be so sure, padawan?" The Jedi master crossed his arms with no little amount of exasperation.

"Just a hunch, master."

A sigh escaped Qui-Gon, lamenting the futility of arguing with his padawan.

"I just hope that this hunch of yours has something to do with the Force."

Anakin's frown told him that it didn't.

The two Jedi exited the main hall, which was still bustling with post-battle activity, and went to meet with Captain Panaka to discuss their tactics in intercepting the Imperial retaliation forces.

The trip from Coruscant to Naboo was less than a day long, so they could expect their enemies as early as the next morning. And although Anakin seemed confident about it, Qui-Gon didn't share in his enthusiasm.

Unlike his apprentice he'd looked into the Force and the darkness he'd found there had left him worried…

* * *

It was already dark when Darth Venerus approached the landing platform outside the temple.

A small unit of troops was already waiting for him next to a loaded Imperial corvette. It wasn't long before he sensed his master's presence aboard the ship as well. Judging by the size of their convoy, the Emperor had obviously wanted to avoid any fuss around their departure. The order was probably not even aware that their Lord was leaving.

Nodding at the troops' salute, Venerus ascended the ramp leading into the ship.

He found his master on the flight deck – an imposing shadow overlooking the pilots' work silently. Sidious acknowledged him with a cursory tilt of his head while Venerus bowed half-heartedly and took his place next to his master.

"It is most unusual to be graced with your presence during a mission, my Lord."

He commented quietly.

"Watch your wordiness with me, my apprentice," Sidious hissed and Venerus felt himself go rigid. "And do not question my decisions before a time has come when you are allowed to."

Venerus did not remember doing any such thing, but apparently Sidious had picked up on his tone.

The reaction _had_ been unusually sharp though.

Venerus squared his jaw and willed himself to show some respect. He did not dare approach his master without good reason after that, sensing that the man's aura had become darker than usual. If he'd cared to pay a bit more attention, he would have also noticed the trepidation swirling around inside that thick darkness. He did not, however, wish to prod his master's signature when he was in one such mood.

The remainder of the trip was uneventful. Venerus evaded his thoughts (and his master) by prowling the ship like a dark apparition, making sure every soldier had something to do.

When the green-coated shape of Naboo finally floated into view, Venerus felt the slightest speck of relief. Satying in the ship any longer would have made him go mad. His master's darkness had spread and tainted the air with tension and spite. Venerus's voice rose, carrying orders for mobilization and the stuffy atmosphere was soon replaced by a rhythmic thrumming of boots against hard floor.

It relaxed Venerus immediately. He'd always found peace in order and the stormtroopers' discipline made it a pleasure to command them.

"Lord Venerus,"

The Emperor's voice was almost lost in the clamor, but Venerus's attuned senses picked it up easily. He was by his master's side in seconds.

"We need to discuss our strategy for this mission." Sidious's eyes did not leave Naboo's silhouette as he spoke.

"Yes, my Lord."

* * *

" _No, master!"_

Qui-Gon stopped dead in his tracks. His hair whipped around frustratingly as he turned to glare at his padawan.

"Anakin, I will not argue with you on this matter. You are not ready to face a Sith and you will not question my judgment like this."

"Then _don't_ argue with me! Master, this mission obviously has a higher chance of success if we fight the Sith together!"

Qui-Gon felt his jaw clench at his student's impudence. It wasn't anything unusual for Anakin, but right now he really didn't have the time for a lesson on humility. So he tried a different approach.

Crossing the distance between them in two impatient strides, Qui-Gon loomed over Anakin and let his voice come out in a clipped whisper.

"And what if there are _two_ Sith?"

Anakin did not so much as flinch.

"Well, then there's two of us."

His answer took Qui-Gon by surprise. He could not believe the boy's arrogance – to believe that he could defeat a Sith single-handedly. It was getting out of control. If they got out of this alive, Qui-Gon would make sure to take some serious reeducative measures.

Right now, though, they were running out of time.

Mere minutes ago the lookout had reported an Imperial ship entering Naboo's atmosphere. Everything around them was astir at the news of the imminent danger. The palace was like a pot of boiling activity.

Qui-Gon took one last step towards Anakin and poured all of his authority into his next command.

"Find captain Panaka and assist him in guarding Padme. I will not hear any objections to this."

Lucky for him, the queen's name seemed to trigger something in Anakin and he nodded quickly before running off.

Qui-Gon, in turn, headed in the opposite direction where he guessed the Imperial ship was most likely to land. A roaring darkness was loitering at the edge of his senses and he felt his apprehension rising. This was not going to be an easy battle…

A mere hour later the air was filled with the sounds of blaster shots and scattering debris.

Their enemies had been clever – landing just outside their firing range and surrounding the city on foot, they were now attacking from all sides simultaneously. Qui-Gon had expected an air raid but apparently the Empire did not think so highly of them as to spare more than a small squadron. And Sith. There were definitely Sith with them.

He had not run into them yet, but he could feel them through the Force. They were shielding themselves, however, so it was impossible to determine their number.

Having helped their eastern flank take the upper hand, Qui-Gon headed in the direction of the hangar bay and soon stumbled upon a group of fallen rebels.

They were strewn along the path as if someone had stormed through them with ease. And that someone was most likely an enemy commander. Qui-Gon followed their trail.

A flicker of life to his left attracted his attention and he paused to kneel next to a badly wounded Naboo soldier. The man was not going to make it, that much was clear, but he found the strength to pull Qui-Gon by his tunic and rasp out a single name.

With that, he slumped in Qui-Gon's hold and became cold. The latter laid him gently to the ground before cursing under his breath.

' _Kriff!'_

 _Of all the Sith in the galaxy it had to be_

"The Emperor's dog." Qui-Gon muttered to help absorb the gravity of the words. Frankly, it didn't help much.

It wasn't that he feared facing the Sith heir, but if the man found Anakin before that… Qui-Gon didn't want to think about it.

So he steeled himself for the worst and allowed his dread to melt into the Force, stretching his senses at the same time. Anakin's signature burned bright as a flame in the heart of the palace, while a very different aura announced its menace boldly from somewhere around the area of the hangar bay.

Without a hint of doubt, Qui-Gon marched in that direction.

* * *

He came face to face with the Sith in a narrow hallway, presumably leading to the plasma refinery buildings adjacent to the hangars.

The floor was littered with more rebel corpses, all sporting saber wounds and sprawled in odd poses. The smell of burnt flesh dominated the air.

At the end of the passage stood Venerus, casually twirling his ignited weapon in lazy circles. He was of no imposing height or appearance, but his rather flaunty long black robes gave him away immediately. He seemed to be inspecting his own handiwork and slowly, a pleased smile crept onto his lips, succeeding in sending waves of disgust down Qui-Gon's spine.

Qui-Gon could tell that this Sith was something else, and not just by his aristocratic clothes. For starters, his presence was much more stable – a subdued and contained darkness that suggested its master's full control over it.

It was an odd feeling to get from a Sith. Most of them relied on their unhinged emotions in battle and used them in short, powerful bursts of attacks to overwhelm the opponent.

Once one was used them, it was easy to follow their pace and with so many years of experience behind his back, Qui-Gon was more than capable of keeping up with a Sith. That confidence urged him to step forward.

Wordlessly, lest he prompted one of their favored tirades from the Sith, he ignited his lightsaber and raised it in a ready position.

Venerus grinned further.

He had adopted a smile from the moment he saw the Jedi – so pleased was he to finally meet a worthy opponent. It was almost disheartening how quickly the rebels fell under his blade.

He'd never found any joy in uneven matches. He preferred to let his stormtroopers take care of such opponents – yet another quality he was condemned for back in the order.

Eyes trained on the green-glowing saber, Venerus carefully approached the Jedi master, fully intent on making the first move.

They circled each other a couple of times before their blades connected at last. As planned, Venerus had initiated the attack and it was just as forceful as Qui-Gon had imagined it. They clashed a few more times, each strike accompanied by the ominous buzzing of plasma against plasma.

It was slow, but the fight was just getting started and Qui-Gon readied himself for a change of pace.

Just then the Sith did something that almost threw Qui-Gon off balance.

Left hand held outstretched in front of him, Venerus raised his crimson blade above his head and leveled it with the ground while also adopting a wider stance.

Qui-Gon knew this position like the back of his hand and he felt his heartbeat quicken.

It was the Soresu opening stance. The last thing he expected from a Sith.

True, some Sith lords had favored it in the past, but in more recent times one would only expect to see it from a Jedi.

Whatever this Sith was playing at, Qui-Gon had no intention to fall for it.

Accepting his opponent's invitation for attack, he charged in the hopes that it was merely a bluff. He was soon proved wrong, though, as each of his strikes was effectively blocked by the use of tight, practical movements all in perfect Soresu style.

Qui-Gon clenched his teeth and struggled to find an opening in his opponent's iron defense, but all of his attempts were met with a timely parry. This dragged on for a while until it dawned on him that the Sith wasn't simply trying to tire him out – he was being analyzed.

Clear blue eyes followed him with more intensity than was typical for a battle. The Sith had abandoned all attempts at an offensive and if felt like Qui-Gon was slashing at a duracrete pillar. This was getting him nowhere.

Putting more strength behind one of his blows, he managed to push the Sith back and used the opportunity to create a safe distance between them. It was time to change tactics. The Sith seemed to pick up on his intention, however, and suddenly his body uncoiled from its defensive pose and he adopted the same forceful character as before.

With no time to react, Qui-Gon found himself under a barrage of strikes. Those were better aimed than before – they targeted all his blind spots and the usual weaknesses he left in his defense.

The Sith had done his research well.

The two soon fell into a precision-heavy Makashi duel and this is where the Sith- no, not just any Sith- _Darth Venerus_ revealed some of his more challenging maneuvers.

They'd just crossed blades when he slid his saber sideways and used it like a lever to aim his hands at Qui-Gon's face. The Jedi dodged only to find his blade free from resistance which compromised his balance. He tumbled forward and barely had time to recover for a block.

As they separated, Qui-Gon aimed a swing at the Sith's legs, missing them by an inch. Venerus used this opening to bring his blade down in a two-handed slash. Qui-Gon knew he was in no position to parry so he shut off his weapon and dodged again. This time, though, he had a plan of his own. Right hand glued to his flank, he twisted his wrist sideways and ignited his saber, blade shooting out straight at Venerus's midriff.

Venerus evaded it by pivoting on one foot and turning a full circle which provided him with enough momentum for another attack. Qui-Gon had anticipated that and aligned his saber to meet Venerus's behind his back. What he didn't anticipate was that the Sith's other hand was now free... A powerful force push sent Qui-Gon reeling forward and his breath was knocked out of his lungs as he hit the ground.

He struggled to sit up, swallowing large gulps of oxygen to chase away the stars in his vision.

Venerus watched him from afar, quietly at first. He then started pacing back and forth without getting any closer.

"What's the matter, old man? Your age catching up to you?"

His voice was just like his fighting style – controlled, mocking and it made Qui-Gon wince.

And it didn't help that Venerus was right on point. Qui-Gon's experience came with a price and it was that price that had left him with very few dark hairs on his head.

Indeed, Qui-Gon was way past his prime, but he'd be damned to leave Anakin to deal with this man alone. The Force would have to wait before claiming him. Ignoring the way his breath came in short puffs, the Jedi master sprung to his feet and before long, sabers were dancing and clashing once more, verdant green against bleeding red.

That's how Anakin found them a while later - locked in a deadly standstill, and he wasted no time joining the fight despite his master's earlier objections. Qui-Gon actually welcomed the support as the Sith showed no signs of tiring while his own muscles were already starting to protest. Venerus's every advance was well-calculated, though he'd had to cut down on them as the offence now came at him from both sides.

Blue and green flashed in his vision and the Jedi soon got confident enough to use force pushes and pulls. They were a well-adjusted team, Venerus had to admit. After a while he managed to maneuver the more inexperienced padawan from behind his back and next to his master.

Sensing that this gave the Sith more room for attack, Qui-Gon stepped protectively in front of his student (who was already a bit winded himself). The expected barrage never came though. Much to the two's surprise, the Sith stared at them with an unreadable look before turning and darting down the corridor, disappearing from sight where it curved to the right.

Anakin was the first to react, breaking into a run after him. He heard Qui-Gon follow and then the two were sprinting side by side until they reached a large metal door, undoubtedly leading to the plasma refinery.

That's where the Sith's presence was coming from, but it was mingled with something else; something distinctly darker, yet faint as if was shielding itself from the Force.

Anakin was just about to barge through the door when a heavy hand settled onto his shoulder and he whipped around to meet his master's stern gaze.

"Padawan, I am not letting you participate in this fight any longer. You are not ready for it."

Impatience and frustration bubbled up inside Anakin and buzzed insistently through the Force.

"Master, I'm not going to be doing this on my own. We'll finish this more quickly of we're together!"

A look of set determination fixed itself on Anakin's face and Qui-Gon swallowed heavily – something told him that there was more than just one Sith beyond that door. Yet Anakin would not hear any of it.

"The rebels already have control of the palace, we just need to take care of the Sith." He urged, searching his master's eyes for a sign that his persuasion was working. Qui-Gon did not seem to be budging yet, but it appeared as though Anakin's words had got him thinking.

"Master, please. I'll just be your support. _Please._ " Anakin pressed further, sounding more exasperated than pleading.

Qui-Gon hesitated. He knew his odds against the Sith were lower than usual. His sore ribs were a testimony to that. With the two of them perhaps they would be able to take down one Sith before the other managed to join him. Besides, if he died in this battle his padawan wouldn't be any in any less danger than if Qui-Gon kept a close eye on him.

So he pushed down his feelings of uneasiness and finally acquiesced much to Anakin's delight.

They crossed the threshold together and found themselves standing on a small platform which branched out into several catwalks.

Brightly glowing acceleration towers rose all the way from bottom to ceiling, connected by additional rings of narrow bridges. The rings spread down in multiple levels and were illuminated by an embedded lighting system. Additional light emanating from the plasma inside the shafts cut through the room like blinding ribbons of white. Their luminance bleached the Sith's already pale face even further as he stood bathed in it in the middle of the central catwalk. His lips were pressed in a thin line and his brows drawn together and if Qui-Gon didn't know better, he would have said Darth Venerus looked apprehensive.

The two Jedi advanced onto the narrow bridge and looking back, Qui-Gon found this to be their biggest mistake. Venerus's demeanor suddenly cracked into a smug smile and his shoulders relaxed with well-practiced confidence.

It was this that told Qui-Gon they'd walked into some sort of trap.

And the voice that spilled chills into his blood that cemented that feeling.

* * *

 **A few notes on the battle scene between Venerus and Qui-Gon – it was really hard to write and I hope I achieved the right pace for it. I used some moves from an illustrated guide I found in a forum somewhere, not sure how legit they are, but I wanted a more dynamic duel. Not all of the battles from here on are going to be so detailed (only the more important ones anyways). I just felt like this was a good way to get a feel of the universe in general…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Your feedback so far has been amazing and it's what keeps me going! HONESTLY, I LOVE YOU GUYS!**

 **I was supposed to post this on May the fourth, but instead I'm posting it on Revenge of the fifth… aah, I'm so disappointed in myself. It's just that editing this chapter took longer than anticipated. Although good news is I believe I'm getting better at scene transitions.**

 **By the way, many of you have mentioned that you want** _ **obikin**_ **and although my original idea was for a more subtle hint at it (like a relationship open to interpretations), I've decided to indulge both mine and your desires and step up the romance factor! It won't be too much of a slow burn, but I will try and make it as natural as possible. I'm desperately trying to keep Anakin and Obi-Wan in character, god help me.**

 **Oh, and I wanted to share with you Ewan fans out there a fab little article about him with stunning pics of our favorite Scotsman. Here's a link to the page cover-story-ewan-mcgregor (you know what to do with it)**

 **Also, you can find me on tumblr under kenoubione… you know, for questions and sw ranting ;)**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

"Welcome, master Jedi."

All of a sudden the suppressed presence from before uncoiled fully and Qui-Gon's adrenalin levels spiked.

He felt it right down to his bones – a stuffy, nerve-igniting sensation, which Qui-Gon could only describe as pure darkness. How was it even possible to mask such a signature?

Both Jedi watched, equally stunned, as a second figure in black emerged onto the platform behind them. A fairly simple ambush as far as they went.

He offered no introduction, but Qui-Gon was filled with the simple instinctive _knowing_ of who the man was. It wasn't bad enough that Anakin had to fight Venerus - the dog had come with its master in tow. Darth Sidious, lord of the Sith Order and ruler of the Galactic Empire stood before them.

For a man of so many titles he was quite gnarled in appearance - his face was mostly obscured by his hood yet what little showed of it was severely disfigured, no doubt by the twisted practices he indulged in.

His eyes stood out in the hole-like sockets, their color resembling his rotting teeth. The Emperor was a stark contrast to his well-groomed apprentice, although also what Venerus would probably look like in a couple of years. No one served the dark side without paying the price.

Qui-Gon could sense Anakin's fear through their bond. His poor padawan was probably not even aware that it was slipping through his shields. Fear was a Sith emotion, but Qui-Gon could not blame him for it. He himself feared for Anakin's life. He needed to get him out of here, even if it meant losing his own life while doing so.

His time to think was cut short, though, as the Emperor spoke up again.

"And now that we've made our acquaintance," Sidious's lightsaber hissed to life.

"You die."

There was a flash of red and Sidious was attacking him so suddenly Qui-Gon barely had the time to be surprised at how agile he was for a man looking like a bag of bones. There was power behind his blow and Qui-Gon suspected it had to do with his control over the Force and not muscle strength.

Nevertheless, it was no ground to feel relieved as the Emperor's signature was nothing like he'd ever faced before. Qui-Gon would not make the mistake of underestimating his opponent. He concentrated fully on their duel.

Before long the fight was in full swing. Anakin could only stare transfixed, struggling to comprehend what was happening.

For all his daydreaming about dueling Sith lords and facing hordes of stormtroopers, he had never imagined it would get so far. He'd always known that his destiny would one day put him face to face with the Dark Lord, but _Kriff_ , he wasn't ready for it yet!

And he feared that neither was Qui-Gon.

With open worry etched onto his face, Anakin followed the two lightsabers as they danced dangerously close to exposed flesh. His instincts urged him to join his master's side and help him yet he found himself paralyzed. Fear had glued his legs to the spot. It was the sound of another plasma blade that snapped him out of it.

Alerted to the oncoming danger, he spun around and found his saber pressed to that of Darth Venerus.

"I don't appreciate being neglected, boy." The man intoned almost non-threateningly, in contrast to the blade aimed at Anakin's throat. From up this close, Anakin could see every streak of color in the Sith's eyes.

They were strikingly blue, just like Anakin's. Distracted as he was by their clarity, he didn't notice when the Force began shifting around him and it was too late when its mass slammed into him.

The Force push sent him flying off the catwalk and landing on another, one level below. He scrambled to his feet just in time to see Venerus land gracefully a few feet away.

A wave of dread washed over him as he realized he was now hopelessly separated from his master. Venerus stalked forward.

Despite a slight disadvantage in height, the Sith still cut an imposing image. Maybe it was the black clothing or the confidence he radiated; or maybe it was the overwhelming power that Anakin knew lurked beneath it all. He shuddered at the memory of the Sith's strikes. The man was good, much more experienced than Anakin, and older.

Anakin had already worked out who he was. There was only one man who could follow the Emperor like a shadow, namely his heir – the famed Lord Venerus.

Whoever he was though, he didn't seem inclined to cut Anakin any slack. When the attacks began anew, they were just as forceful and cunning as Anakin remembered them.

Venerus utilized twirls and leaps, attacking ceaselessly yet with little obvious strain, as if he was playing with him. And perhaps he was, if that easy smile was anything to go by. Anakin had never been so overwhelmed by an opponent before – this was unfamiliar grounds for him.

The feeling of helplessness settled like acid in his stomach and proceeded to burn its way through. He felt incompetent and foolish, but most of all – disillusioned. A life of training, a prophecy and all of Qui-Gon's praise of his progress now tasted like betrayal and lies. He couldn't land _one_ hit on his opponent.

In addition to his hopelessness his heart skipped a beat each time he heard his master's saber clash with the Emperor's. Anakin knew that should something happen to Qui-Gon he would fall into a blind rage and that would be the end of them both. A Jedi that loses their composure in a fight is a dead one, that's what Qui-Gon had told him. Anakin had always tried to implement his master's wisdom, but some parts of the code were too foreign to him. Losing Qui-Gon was a scenario he would never accept calmly, be it the will of the Force or not.

His opponent's blade licked at his wrist and he gasped as a scorch mark bloomed on his skin. It was the sixth since the beginning of the fight, a few other bad dodges having only resulted in burnt clothes. The fight was starting to drag out and Anakin had yet to make any breakthrough. His parries were clumsy and only served to minimize the damage instead of deflecting it. Venerus seemed content with burning him away bit by bit. His air of composure had not budged and to Anakin it seemed as if it was mocking him.

The Sith was mocking him. Him, the chosen one.

 _The clumsy padawan with singed sleeves_ a teasing voice added in the back of his mind. He was being thrown around like a child with a lightsaber. Somewhere deep inside, his bruised ego reared its head.

Its chipped edges dug into the skin of a sleeping monster and it screeched with resounding ire. The anger spread through Anakin's bloodstream like quicksilver, all too used to the familiar pathways. Only this time it was stronger.

It was so _unfair_ , he raged internally.

Why did they have to die when they were the ones fighting for justice?

Why was the prophecy wrong?

Why had they lied to him?

Had it _all_ been lies?

Slowly but surely the poison took over his reasoning. What had started as indignation was now a devouring, incinerating anger that made his whole body tremble. He was too lost to identify it as such; desperation was blinding his senses. But it also burned and numbed and it gave him _power_.

And Anakin embraced that power.

Venerus was surprised when one of his swings was effectively deflected and the padawan leapt back a safe distance away. There was something different about the boy, Venerus sensed, and he wanted to know what.

Simple observation revealed a change in his demeanor. The corresponding shift in the Force was what made Venerus quirk a brow though.

Intrigued by this discovery, he attempted a few more elaborate swings and was pleased when the padawan did not get discouraged. So he decided to raise the bar. Switching to a more grounded style, he engaged the boy in a close range combat that was more about strength than anything else.

Unexpectedly, Anakin did not falter under his advances. In fact he responded to them with a spiteful vigor.

Venerus watched in fascination as the young Jedi deflected his blade multiple times before retreating once again. It was a smart move on the boy's part. Given his sudden hot-headedness, Venerus had fully expected an attack from him. And he'd been ready to use it to his advantage.

The boy was full of surprises.

Curiosity mounting, Venerus stretched his senses further, trying to find out more about what was going on in the Jedi's mind. And what he discovered left him no less fascinated.

There was anger there – pure, unadulterated anger, dark and broiling and barely concealed in the tense body. It hardened the boy's eyes and stiffened his posture, the hand that gripped his blue lightsaber almost trembling under the strain.

Venerus could only think of one explanation for this - the padawan had fallen.

How curious, he thought. Jedi were not immune to the Dark side, but to see one turn in front of him was a first.

Thre was no reason to be intimidated, though. Anger was no proper weapon in the hands of the inexperienced and unless properly cultivated, it could even backfire on its originator.

Yet strangely enough the boy seemed to have some degree of control over it – it was almost as if the Force bound his anger into a tightly condensed mass instead of letting it run wild.

Too concentrated on his digging, Venerus didn't realize when that mass started shifting around him. There was a creaking noise and he looked up to see portions of the upper catwalks being bent and twisted. The metal screeched in protest before it was wrenched free and hurled towards the Sith.

His instincts kicked in immediately. The projectiles missed him by a hair's breath, avoided thanks to a timely crouch. A cacophony of sounds followed as they found their landing somewhere behind him.

Venerus straightened himself, only a bit winded by the assault, and stared in awe at Anakin's clutched fist. The padawan was actually using Force attacks.

He had no time to appreciate the surprise, though, as more metal flew his way and he was forced to evade it.

Sparks exploded as the pieces crashed into the plasma columns and the lights flickered in response. The Force was thick in the air.

Venerus dodged and deflected with relative ease, marveling at how much power the young Jedi harbored. He just didn't seem to have perfected his control yet. Powerful as the boy was, his aim was random and unstable. Venerus sneered. _So much wasted potential…_

This continued for a while with Anakin either hurtling pieces of the environment at Venerus or attacking him with open ferocity. Venerus allowed himself to be pushed back if only because it was amusing to watch the boy stumble after every missed strike.

Because of this, they soon found themselves almost directly under the fight that was going on one level above. Red and blue casts were joined by green and bounced off the surrounding metal in a myriad of hues.

Venerus spared a glance upwards to ascertain that his master also had the upper hand. It was probably a good time to wrap this all up. If he let the kid run amok any longer he might rip out the catwalk his master was standing on. And he couldn't imagine Sidious would be pleased with that.

Giving his saber a casual twirl, Venerus swung at Anakin and their blades locked, hissing ominously. Anakin held his ground in the beginning, but eventually he realized that he couldn't beat Venerus in terms of physical strength so he called on the Force to help him.

It obeyed him eagerly and its thick currents swirled around them. Feeling their immense pressure close in on him, Venerus responded in kind by unleashing his own Force attack.

The tremor that resulted from their crash was so strong that it seemed to jostle the bridge they were perched on. Its ripples travelled through the whole hall and didn't escape the notice of the duo above.

A low rasping sound followed and Venerus barely identified it as his master laughing.

Sidious had Qui-Gon in a deadlock, but he held the other at bay with little to no difficulty. Instead of keeping tabs on his enemy, his yellow eyes were trained on the two crossed lightsabers below and he was chuckling with unconcealed mirth. His joy resonated through the Force, mixing obscenely with the darkness permeating it.

The scene would have sent chills down anybody's back but Venerus felt a tiny bit smug instead. Their easy victory must have been amusing his master. He himself was quite content with how things had developed so far. The Jedi had fallen into their trap easily and ended up being no match for the two Sith. They had put up a fight, but in the end victory would go to the Empire. As it always did. A smirk cracked its way through Venerus's façade.

His master's next words, however, wiped it off his face completely.

"Yes, yes, Anakin, use your anger against him!"

… _Anakin?_

Was Sidious calling out to the Jedi boy?

Befuddlement swept over Venerus and he wavered. Up above, His master's goading continued and it was obviously aimed at the padawan.

"Do it, Anakin, crush him! The Force obeys your command!"

Now Venerus was sure something was wrong. His head snapped up toward Sidous, whose wrinkled face was deformed by a leer.

"Master, what is the meaning of this?" Cold reserve coated his words and he commended himself for it. Underneath, his indignation and confusion were boiling up - whatever his master was playing at, he wasn't informed of it. And even more disturbing was that this didn't feel like a ruse at all.

A new wave of chuckles escaped Sidious. Next to him, Qui-Gon looked torn between the struggle of pushing against his opponent's sword and pure confusion of his own.

Only Anakin seemed just mildly distracted by Sidious's words. His hard stare was flickering from the Sith in front of him to the one above.

"Why so scandalized, my _foolish_ apprentice? Is it so much of a surprise that I would throw you aside when presented with such brilliant potential?"

The two Jedi, struggling to make sense of this, turned their attention to Venerus who had gone ghostly pale.

He was obviously as lost as they were.

"I have had my eyes on the boy for years." Sidious went on. " Your pitiful training was but dust in those fools' eyes until I could get my hands on the real prize."

Yellow eyes settled on Anakin.

"Anakin Skywalker,"The name was spoken almost reverently. "Never before have I sensed such great power. It will become a fine weapon with the right honing…"

" _Why?_ " It was the only thing Venerus managed to grit out. His body had started to shake with unidentified emotions.

"Why?" Sidious cocked his head mockingly. "Because you were farthest from a Sith that one could be. Because you were so blind to power you would never suspect my plotting! You were a fool, Lord Venerus, and the perfect one to help me achieve my purposes. This is why you will never be a Sith, _Jedi outcast!_ "

If Sidious's tirade was the drop of a bombshell, then his last words were the explosion.

Their weight settled onto every person in the refinery and its air buzzed with unspoken questions. It was as if all sense had been sucked in the vacuum after the blast.

Venerus was most stricken of all. Panic crawled down his spine like the remnants of an ice bucket poured over his head. He found himself rooted to the spot as the feeling of shock spread to his limbs. It was joined by one of dread when Sidious opened his mouth next.

"You thought you could fool the order, did you Lord Venerus?" Sidious attempted to feign solemnity but couldn't chase the irony from his voice.

"…Or should I address you by your birth name?"

A poignant pause followed.

It penetrated Venerus to the bones and left him agonizing in foreboding. Somewhere deep down he knew this was Sidious's way of punishing him. But another part was not ready to face what he was being punished for. The seeming inevitability of it surfacing now was crushing him.

Sidious, on the other hand, reveled in the waves of distress being sent through their bond. He was enjoying his moment of triumph. One half of it came from witnessing Anakin's abilities and the other from torturing his apprentice.

He wasn't done yet though – the stage was set for the finishing blow and Sidious dived for it mercilessly.

"Who's the fool now, _Obi-Wan Kenobi_?"


End file.
